Goldendoodle Potty Training

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Welcoming a new Goldendoodle puppy or adult rescue Doodle into your family is a wonderful thing, and training your puppy is rewarding and fun, too.  

One of the first things you’ll need to teach your new fluffy friend home is to go to the bathroom where you want him to. Most people have some outside space where junior can relieve himself, while others prefer to use an indoor potty box.

Read this guide for some top potty training tips and to learn how to clean up any minor accidents, too.

Does It Take Long To Potty Train A Goldendoodle Puppy?

Miniature Golden Doodle Puppy and Potty Training

When you’re toilet training your new pet, patience, consistency, and a positive reinforcement method are crucial for success.

Goldendoodles are intelligent dogs that are very trainable. So, it usually takes from four to six months of behavioral training time to completely housetrain a Goldendoodle puppy. That said, other dogs can take longer than that to catch on.

Physical Factors

Your dog’s size can be a major influencing factor when it comes to house training. Generally, smaller toys or petite Goldendoodles will most likely have smaller bladders and a higher metabolism than larger types. So, you can expect that your small dog will need to relieve himself more frequently than a larger one.

Never expect your dog to wait for too long between potty stops! If your pet is bursting to go, he’ll become very upset and stressed if he simply can’t wait and has a potty accident on your carpet.

How Soon Can You Start Potty Training Your Goldendoodle Puppy?

In general, older puppies aged between 12 and 16 weeks of age have enough bowel and bladder control to wait until they are taken outside for a bathroom break. That said, many reputable Doodle breeders begin housetraining their puppies at an earlier age to give the pups a headstart when they leave to go to their new homes. 

However, if you have an older puppy or you’ve taken on a dog from a rescue that’s become used to peeing or pooping in an outside run or even in his cage, you’ll have a greater challenge. The best way to approach your pet’s training is to be patient and use rewards, praise, and lots of repetition.

How To Potty Train Your Goldendoodle Puppy

So, here’s a step-by-step guide on how to teach your Goldendoodle puppy healthy bathroom habits. 

But if you have an adult rescue Goldendoodle, don’t worry; we’ve included a section later in this guide on how to potty train older dogs.

Related: List of the easiest dogs to potty train

Outside Bathroom Breaks

First of all, let’s look at taking your puppy outside for a bathroom break.

1. Confinement

When you first begin potty training your puppy, restrict his access to just a couple of rooms in your home.

Once the puppy understands that the only place he can relieve himself is outside, he can be free to roam around your home.

2. Set A Feeding Schedule

Time To Break clock

Eating and drinking determine when your puppy needs to be eliminated, and you can use that to devise a feeding routine to suit your routine. Also, by monitoring your pet’s intake of puppy food and water, you’ll have a clearer idea of when you need to take your furry friend outside to go.

That said, fresh, clean water must always be available for your pet, as puppies can get dangerously dehydrated very quickly.

However, you can safely remove any uneaten food and put the pup’s food bowl somewhere out of the pet’s reach until his next scheduled mealtime.

3. Take Your Puppy Outside Regularly

Boy Training Goldendoodle at Park

Puppies are creatures of habit, and you can use that when toilet training your pet.

The first thing you should do in the morning is to take your puppy outside so that he can go to the toilet. Throughout the day, make time to take your puppy outside every 30 minutes to an hour or so. Also, immediately after your puppy has had a nap or eaten a meal, take him outside for a potty break.

Having a routine for going outside can help to avoid common potty training issues and accidents in your home and is crucial until your pup has adequate bladder control to last for longer periods.

4. Lights Out

The last thing you need to do at the end of the day before you settle down for the night is to take your puppy outside. That means your puppy will be comfortable and should sleep soundly.

5. Take Your Puppy To The Same Toilet Spot

Dogs use their sense of smell to leave messages for themselves and for other dogs. That’s why a male dog sniffs the spot before he pees. Basically, Fido is leaving his scent on that place so that any other dogs that pass by will know that he’s been there.

So, try to take your puppy to the same place to relieve himself every time so that he understands where his toilet is.

6. Stay With Your Puppy

Training a Goldendoodle puppy dog

It’s crucial that you remain with your puppy throughout the housebreaking process, even if that means taking him with you on his leash when you leave the room. That means that you won’t miss any signs that your puppy needs to go and can help to rule out accidents.

So, how many times a day does a Goldendoodle puppy poop?

Generally, most dogs need to poop up to five times every day! Puppies and senior dogs that eat lots of small meals throughout the day might need to go more frequently than that. Also, sick dogs with health problems sometimes need to poop more times than that.

7. Reward Your Puppy

Once your puppy has done his business, praise him and reward him with a treat. All the time, praise your pet for doing the right thing in the right place.

Don’t be afraid to go overboard with the praise! Basically, your puppy craves your love and attention, so he will try to do what he knows will get that for him, i.e., relieving himself in the right place! The more of a fuss you make, the more your puppy will understand that he’s done the right thing, and the quicker he will be potty trained.

8. Practice Word Association

It’s not an arduous process to teach your puppy or adult dog to go to the toilet on command and the entire process usually takes only a few weeks to months.

Whenever your pup is relieving himself, use basic obedience commands, such as “go pee-pee,” “potty” or something similar. Quickly, your puppy will understand what you mean, so you can tell him that it’s time for him to go, wherever you are.

Can You Use A Training Crate For Potty Training Your Goldendoodle Puppy?

Yes, in the short term, you can use a training crate for potty training your puppy.

You don’t want your Doodle pup to do his business in the metal crate. The idea is that confining the puppy in the crate enables you to keep an eye on your pet and spot the signs of when he needs to go.

Crate training also means that your puppy will learn to hold on until you open the crate and take him outside to his latrine area.  

Crate Train For Unsupervised Times

Here are our top tips on how to use a crate for toilet training your puppy.

  • Make sure that the training crate has enough space for your puppy to stand up, turn around, and lay down comfortably. That said, the crate shouldn’t be so large that your pup is tempted to use one corner as a toilet.
  • Puppies can become dehydrated very quickly. So, you must fit a no-spill water dispenser on the crate and always make sure it’s full if your puppy is going to be left alone in the crate for more than an hour or so.

    Never deny your dog a drink purely to prevent him from needing to pee so often. That’s not only cruel; dehydration in dogs is potentially very dangerous. So, a bowl of water should always be available for your pet.

Why Is My Goldendoodle Relieving Himself In His Crate?

There are a few reasons why your pup might relieve himself in his crate, including:

  • Older dogs from rescues or shelters are often eliminated in their crates, purely because they’ve not been trained correctly.
  •  The crate is too big.
  • The puppy needs to be let outside more frequently.
  • The puppy might be too young to have adequate bowel and bladder control.

With patience you can eliminate this undesirable behavior and rule out these doggie accidents once your pet gets into a proper potty routine.

How Do You Know When Your Goldendoodle Puppy Needs A Potty Break?

To potty train your puppy successfully, you need to know how to spot the signs that your pet needs to go, including:

  • Sniffing the ground in one area
  • Turning small circles on one spot
  • Sniffing or scratching by the door
  • Whining or whimpering

If your furry friend displays any of these signs, you know that he probably needs to relieve himself.

Do Goldendoodle Puppies Pee A Lot?

A cute little Goldendoodle puppy laying on a black background.

If you know how often your puppy or dog needs to pee, it’ll be easier for you to potty train him.

There are a few factors at play here, including the age and size of your dog. Generally, the smaller the dog’s bladder, the more often he needs to pee. Also, it’s been noted by many owners and dog behaviorists that the puppy’s age in months is often equal to the number of hours the pup can hold it during the daytime.

For example, a two-month-old puppy can usually hold it for two hours before he needs to go. So, it follows that a puppy of six months of age should be able to wait for six hours. At night, it’s generally accepted that a dog or puppy should be able to last for 1.5 times that rate.

How To Prevent Nervous Wetting

It’s very common for puppies and young dogs to squat and pee when greeting you or even strangers. That’s commonly referred to as “submissive urination.”

Dogs that do that are super-sensitive, so you must never scold your pup, as that can exacerbate the problem. Also, the puppy will begin to associate your displeasure with the greeting, not the urination.

Try to remain calm and chilled out when greeting your pet. Most dogs eventually grow out of the behavior. In the meantime, you might find that distracting your dog by offering him a treat helps to stop the problem.

What NOT To Do When Potty Training Your Goldendoodle Puppy!

There are a few absolute no-nos when potty training your Goldendoodle puppy.

Punishment

Golden doodle close up

Never punish your canine companion if he gets it wrong and has an accident in the house.

Yelling at your puppy will frighten and upset him, potentially making him afraid of you and causing even more problems.

Don’t Rush Your Puppy

Even if the weather is foul and you don’t want to spend ages outside in the garden, don’t try to rush your puppy.

Dogs, especially puppies, are curious creatures that love to spend time sniffing around outside to find out who’s been there before them. If you hassle your puppy or dog, they might not do their business, resulting in an accident in the house later.

How To Deal With Accidents

Unfortunately, it’s perfectly normal for puppies and adult dogs to have accidents during the potty training process. How you deal with potty training accidents is extremely important for your puppy’s future development and confidence.

Caught In The Act!

Woman fights with pet Goldendoodle dog over toilet paper mess in kitchen

If you come across your Goldendoodle puppy relieving himself in the house, immediately grab your pet’s attention!

Shout “Hey!” or clap your hands to distract your pup and stop him midstream or mid-poop. That helps your pet to understand that he’s done something wrong. 

Immediately, take your puppy outside to finish what he was doing, and then make a big fuss of him and give him a treat as a reward.

After The Fact

If you come across the evidence that your puppy has relieved himself in the house or in his crate, don’t react by shouting at your puppy or getting angry with him. Young puppies don’t understand that they have made a mistake after the fact.

The best thing to do is clean up the mess and move on.

Protect The Area

Playing ball with a Golden Doodle

If an accident occurs, there’s a good chance that your pet will return to the same spot to repeat the offense. So, initially, you should keep the door to that room closed or use a baby gate or furniture to block your dog’s entry to the area.

Dogs generally prefer to relieve themselves on a soft surface, as they don’t like the sensation of urine splashing. So, restrict your pet’s access to carpeted areas of your home where an accident is most likely to occur. 

How To Housetrain An Adult Goldendoodle

If you take on an adult Goldendoodle from a rescue or shelter, you might find that your new pet isn’t potty trained. Maybe the dog was living on the streets as a stray, he wasn’t housetrained by his previous owners, or perhaps he just forgot after living in the shelter for a long time.

However, potty training an adult dog is often easier than teaching a puppy. One reason for that is that adult dogs have a larger bladder and can, therefore, wait for a few hours before needing to eliminate. Even so, you should never force your dog to wait for too long before he can get outside to go.

Tips For Potty Training Adult Dogs

Start by getting your adult Goldendoodle into a routine the minute you get him home. If you’re consistent in your approach, you can often potty train your adult Doodle in a week or less.

1. Take Time Off

When you first get your new dog home, he’ll be completely disoriented and confused. So, it’s a good idea to take time off from your job to be at home with him. That quality time helps the dog to bond with you and also enables you to get potty training off to a flying start.

If you can’t be home with your new dog, I recommend that you hire a dog sitter or ask a neighbor to call round to let your Doodle out onto the garden a couple of times during the day.

2. Establish A Routine

Begin by establishing a routine for your Goldendoodle. 

  • First thing in the morning, before you feed your pet, let him outside so that he can go to the toilet if he wants to.
  • Take the dog outside again at lunchtime and then again mid-afternoon.
  • Finally, take your Doodle out for a final potty stop before you go to bed so that he’s comfortable and settled for the night.

3. Praise Your Dog!

Boy with goddledoodle dog

When your dog does the right thing in the right place, remember to shower him with praise and give him a treat so that he understands when he’s done what you want him to.

That way, your pet will quickly learn to associate going to the bathroom in the correct location with a positive experience.

4. Be Observant

Be vigilant for the signs mentioned above that could indicate that your pup needs to go. As soon as you spot something suspicious, take your pet outside to avert an accident.

If your dog decides to do the dirty deed before you spot the red flags, immediately say, “No!” Get your dog outside as quickly as you can. As soon as he’s done his business in the correct location, make a huge fuss of him and give him a treat.

5. Don’t Punish Your Dog After The Fact

There will almost certainly be times when you discover an accident long after it’s happened. Dogs are very good at sneaking into quiet areas where you’re not likely to catch them at it. 

But even if that’s happened and you find a mess on your carpet, you must never yell at your dog or scold him. Just as with a puppy, your adult Goldendoodle won’t understand what he’s done wrong, and you risk damaging the bond you’re working so hard to build with your furry friend.

What About Tummy Upsets?

Sometimes, adult dogs suffer from digestive upsets, typically gastroenteritis.

An upset tummy is quite common in dogs from rescues and shelters that have just arrived in their new home. Often a change in food and water and the stress of moving can upset the dog’s system. That often results in diarrhea or loose stools. However, those symptoms can also be indicators of an infection, so always consult your vet immediately.

Digestive issues often cause accidents, simply because the poor dog can’t wait. Most dogs that are potty trained become very distressed if they have an accident, and cleaning up after the incident isn’t much fun for you either. So, it’s helpful to keep your dog safely in his crate when you’re not there to keep an eye on him.

disposable pads

Protect your dog’s bedding with puppy training pads, just in case he can’t wait for you to let him out.

Puppy Pad Training

If you live in an apartment or if the weather prevents you from taking your dog outside to relieve himself, you can use puppy pads or special potty boxes that are designed for indoor use.

Basically, you choose somewhere suitable for the puppy pad or potty box to live inside your home and teach your dog to relieve himself there, using the same methods described earlier in this guide.

How To Clean Up!

Hand in pink protective glove cleaning baseboard on the wooden floor from dust with rag at the wall. Early spring cleaning or regular clean up. Maid cleans house.

As previously mentioned, dogs will always use their chosen latrine area when they want to relieve themselves.

The smell of dog urine lingers for months if you don’t clean it up properly. So, you need to know how to deal with the damage done by your pet’s misplaced potty stop. If your Goldendoodle puppy or dog makes a mess in the house, the smell of urine must be removed thoroughly and quickly to prevent your pet from returning to the area when he needs to go.

Cleaning Dog Urine From Carpets And Rugs

There are two methods that you can use to clean up dog urine from your carpets and rugs, both of which are very effective.

Method 1 – Baking Soda

For this method, you’ll need:

  • Clean, white towels
  • Dish soap
  • Baking soda
  • White vinegar

How to do it:

  1. Immediately use the clean towels to blot up as much of the urine as you can before it soaks through the carpet to the underlay.
  2. Put a few drops of dish soap and some warm water onto the soiled area. Without rubbing the carpet, use a clean towel to absorb the liquid. Step on the towel to push it right down into the carpet fibers.
  3. Sprinkle baking soda over the affected area. Leave the baking soda overnight. The soda will absorb and liquid, taking the odor away too.
  4. In the morning, the soiled area will be dry. Spray the spot with white vinegar. The area might begin bubbling as the two chemicals react. That’s quite normal and nothing to be concerned about.
  5. Rinse the area thoroughly with clean, warm water, and blot it dry with clean towels.
  6. Once the carpet or rug is dry, vacuum the spot to fluff up the carpet pile.

Method 2 – Enzyme Cleaner

For this method, you’ll need:

It’s the bacteria contained in urine that causes that unpleasant odor we associate with dog pee. Enzymatic cleaners use specific proteins that attach themselves to the urine molecules, effectively killing off the bacteria and thus eliminating the smell.

How to do it:

  1. Use the clean towels to soak up as much of the urine as possible.
  2. Following the instructions on the product packaging, apply the enzyme cleaner to the soiled spot.
  3. Leave the product to do its work and wait until the area is dry.
  4. Vacuum the spot to lift the carpet pile.

Although enzymatic cleaners are highly effective, you might need to use several repeat treatments over a week or two to get rid of serious staining and stubborn smells.

Last Resort – Professional Cleaning

And if, for some reason, you failed to spot stains in time, and they end settling in, the carpet experts at Fantastic Cleaners recommend professional-grade techniques: pressurized hot-water extraction extraction for those fabrics that can handle the heat, and dry-chem treatment for those more gentle.

Cleaning Dog Urine From Wood Flooring

For best results, you must clean up after your pet immediately. If the urine is left on the floor for too long, it will seep down into the wood and between the floorboards, potentially causing permanent damage.

Here’s how to get rid of dog pee from your wooden floors.

You’ll need:

  • Clean towel
  • Scrubbing brush
  • White vinegar
  • Enzymatic cleaner
  • Baking soda

How to do it:

  1. Using a clean towel, soak up the urine as quickly as you can.
  2. Make up a solution of warm water and white vinegar. Scrub the spot with the solution to remove any residual urine.
  3. Sprinkle a little baking soda over the stain. Leave the soda in situ for a few hours so that it absorbs the liquid and the smell of urine.
  4. Using a clean cloth and warm water, wipe away the residual baking soda.
  5. Finally, apply the enzymatic cleaner to the spot, following the instructions on the packaging. Make sure that you soak the whole area thoroughly. If necessary, repeat the process.

If the area is very badly stained, you might need to gently sand the wood. When you’re done, prime and finish the surface to protect it from any future accidents.

In Conclusion

Did you enjoy our guide to potty training your Goldendoodle? If you found the information helpful, please take a second to share the article.

As long as you’re patient and consistent, housetraining your new puppy or rescue dog is achievable without too much pain and hassle! Praise your pet when he does the right thing, and never lose your temper when accidents happen. Never leave your pet for too long between toilet trips outside, and remember that puppies and small dogs, such as mini and toy Goldendoodles have smaller bladders, so they can’t hold it for as long as an older or larger pup can.

How long did it take you to potty train your Goldendoodle? Tell us in the comments box below!

Meet our writer

Alison Page was brought up with dogs and various other pets! For a few years, Alison worked as a Practice Manager in a small animal veterinary clinic. Alison is now a full-time writer, specializing in creating articles on the care and training of dogs, cats, and fish.

2 thoughts on “Goldendoodle Potty Training”

  1. Great article. My dog has been trained but has had occasional accidents. Knowing how to clean it up properly from your article is very helpful.

    Reply

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